Nuclear fusion

From Wikinfo

Low threshold energy reactions:

D-T reaction (lowest threshold energy, ~50 keV)

D + T → He⁴ (3.5 MeV) + n (14.1 MeV)

D-D reaction (both reactions are equally likely to occur)

D + D → T (1.01 MeV) + p (3.02 MeV)

D + D → T (0.82 MeV) + n (2.45 MeV)

T-T reaction

T + T -> He⁴ + 2 n (11.3 MeV)

Other interesting reactions, mostly aneutronic:

He³ reactions

He³ + He³-> He⁴ + 2 p

D + He³ → He⁴ (3.6 MeV) + p (14.7 MeV)

T + He³ → He⁴ (0.5 MeV) + n (1.9 MeV) + p (11.9 MeV) (51%)

T + He³ → He⁴ (4.8 MeV) + D (9.5 MeV) (43%)

T + He³ → He⁵ (2.4 MeV) + p (11.9 MeV) (6%)

Li⁶ reactions

p + Li⁶ → He⁴ (1.7 MeV) + He⁴ (2.3 MeV)

D + Li⁶ → 2 He⁴ (22.4 MeV)

He³ + Li⁶ → 2 He⁴ + p (16.9 MeV)

Breeder reactions used in "dry" fusion reactors:

n + Li⁶ → T + He⁴

n + Li⁷ → T + He⁴ + n

B¹¹ reaction

p + B¹¹ → 3 He⁴ (8.7 MeV)

Note that many of the reactions form chains. For instance, a reactor fueled with T and He³ will create some D, which is then possible to use in the D + He³ reaction if the energies are "right". The two most studied aneutronic reactions are the T + He³ and D + Li⁶, the later forms the basis for thermonuclear bombs. However all of these, even the aneutronic ones, do not operate "cleanly" and a number of less interesting reactions will occur at the same time, some of those producing neutrons.